EA to charge $10 for playing a used game.

[Perineum]

Originally Posted by Thund3rball

I totally agree, games are expensive BUT... a $2 difference between new and used? Even a $5 difference is, imho, absolutely ridiculous. I can't believe Gamestop is making a killing on a difference of $2 on a $30 game or $5 on a ~$60 game. And really if you wait a bit, the game prices drop in a few months, or sometimes there's a great pre-order deal or just a random sale that coincides with a new release. Any of these will see gamers saving more money than $2-$5 on a used title from Gamestop (with no online access, first owner DLC etc etc etc).

However, I am like minded that I like incentives to buy new as opposed to punishment for buying used 'tis much fuzzier.

I wouldn't buy used period. I buy it NEW when it's 2 years old (from steam) to get it at the price I want.

I can't imagine buying a used boxed game to save $2 to $5

[Thund3rball]

deleted

/meh who cares

[rapmaster]

Ubisoft are going to join EA on charging used game.

Ubisoft To Tackle Used Game Sales - PS3 News at IGN

What are they trying to accomplish, to destroy their brand completely? Even Activision, as greedy and evil as it comes, doesn't pull this shit on gamers.

I miss the days when I pay for a game, I expect it to be a full package, not cutting out contents so they can charge me extra for DLC. I expect a game to not have some crazy bullshit DRM. I guess those days are gone.

[Thund3rball]

The big guns are seeing the writing on the wall. Game devs used to need big publishers to distribute and market their products, not anymore. Look at the Humble Bundle and Torchlight. Indie games selling like AAA big budget titles. Like the music biz did with mp3s, the game biz is changing due to digital distribution, and the big guns need ways to keep their big profits. Enter stranglehold plan B. Squeeze every last drop of blood from your customers while holding them hostage! Oh wait... it didn't work so well for the music biz though, lol.

We will see more and more subscription models, proverbial carrot dangling (buy new or pay for Online/DLC etc...) and DRM over the next 5 years. Don't like it? Don't buy it. Buy games from smaller companies that want to make great games. Not companies that want to meet Q3 projections so everyone with a couple letters in their title gets their 7 figure bonuses while the devs all get fired or their shop gets shut down. Meanwhile the market is flooded with mediocre AAA titles that want to punish you as a paying customer.

[Perineum]

Damn man, excellent post. Couldn't have said it better.

[thorn]

If they released free DLC, at least from time to time, I can see how it would make sense. Paying for the 'right' to be able to buy DLC does not.

Mass Effect 2 has had quite a bit of free DLC content, downloading the Hammerhead DLC right now in fact. However Dragon Age hasn't had any free content so far (afaik at least). At the very least they should reduce the price of DLC, especially if they are going to charge for access to it.

[rapmaster]

THQ is doing the same thing with UFC 2010, I guess it's becoming a standard.

THQ introduces its own 'Online Pass' in UFC 2010 -- Joystiq

[belgolas]

This only makes valve and blizzard look like saints. They continue to support their games long after they are out. Valve is still radically changing TF2 and even gave a massive update to Counter Strike Source. Blizzard supported Star Craft for how many years? Meanwhile lots of other companies have paid DLC on day one. What kind of crap is that?

Sega is also gonna have the continuous connection but at least they say after like 8 (forget the actual amount) months they will patch it out. So that I am o.k. with as it is a good compromise but still don't like it.

[rapmaster]

Originally Posted by belgolas

Sega is also gonna have the continuous connection but at least they say after like 8 (forget the actual amount) months they will patch it out. So that I am o.k. with as it is a good compromise but still don't like it.

Actually, the Sega's DRM isn't as bad as Ubisoft's DRM. It's one time online activation, 5 activation per key. I still don't like it but it's much more manageable.

PC Alpha Protocol's Uniloc DRM explained -- Joystiq

[thorn]

I would imagine Valve makes a good amount from Steam, and they continue to support their games partially because they don't exactly release that many.

Blizzard is in the same boat, they just milk the cash cow that is WoW, from what I have heard some of the expansions add very little and still cost 'full' price. And who knows what will happen if Activision gets more involved.